Rutgers University
Delaware
Tennis Downs Delaware in Season Opener
Jan 27 | Women's Tennis
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers tennis captured the doubles point and four singles wins to defeat Delaware, 5-2, Friday afternoon in the program's season opener at the East Brunswick Racquet Club. It marked the first dual win for Hilary Ritchie as head coach of the program.
"We performed very consistently today," Ritchie said. "We started off well in doubles and it was important that we picked up that doubles point which gave us momentum heading into singles play. We started with a lot of good energy in our first sets, so it was a good team victory for us."
The Scarlet Knights captured the doubles point thanks to wins in the No. 2 and No. 3 positions. Senior Ksenija Tihomirova and freshman Katherine Muzik defeated Sara Komer and Brooke Pilkington, 6-2, in No. 2 doubles, while senior Farris Cunningham and freshman Jacqueline Cochrane won over Annie Jaskulski and Draga Sabotic in the No. 3 position, 6-4.
Junior Mingxiu Du's win in No. 1 singles highlighted RU's four individual victories. Competing in her first dual match at the Division I level, Du responded with a convincing 6-4, 6-1 win over Pilkington.
Rookies Cochrane and Muzik both contributed singles victories in their Rutgers debuts. Cochrane defeated Jaskulski in the No. 4 position, 6-1, 6-0, and Muzik won in straight sets over Amanda Studnicki in the No. 5 position, 6-1, 7-6 (5).
In the final match of the afternoon, senior Farris Cunningham went to a tiebreaker after Sarah Hall won the second set, 7-6 (6). However, the Houston, Texas, native defeated Hall in the final stanza, 10-5, to secure her win in the No. 6 position.
Rutgers returns to action on Thursday, Feb. 2, when the Scarlet Knights host NJIT at 1 p.m. at the EBRC.
Rutgers 5, Delaware 2
Location: East Brunswick Racquet Club
Singles competition
No. 1 Mingxiu Du (RU) def. Brooke Pilkington (UDel) 6-4, 6-1
No. 2 Sara Komer (UDel) def. Ksenija Tihomirova (RU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
No. 3 Denny LaMAchia (UDel) def. Chloe Lee (RU) 6-0, 6-0
No. 4 Jacqueline Cochrane (RU) def. Annie Jaskulski (UDel) 6-1, 6-0
No. 5 Katherine Muzik (RU) def. Amanda Studnicki (UDel) 6-1, 7-6 (5)
No. 6 Farris Cunningham (RU) def. Sarah Hall (UDel) 6-2, 6-7 (6), 10-5
Doubles competition
1. Amanda Studnicki/Sarah Hall (UDel) def. Mingxiu Du/Chloe Lee Courter (RU) 6-1
2. Ksenija Tihomirova/Katherine Muzik (RU) def. Sara Komer/Brooke Pilkington (UDel) 6-2
3. Farris Cunningham/Jacqueline Cochrane (RU) def. Annie Jaskulski/Draga Sabotic (UDel) 6-4
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Players Mentioned
